Infolding method and machine



Filed June 2, 1945 Nov. 9, 1948.. A. G.- GILBERT ETAL I INFOLDING METHOD AND MACHINE 8 Sheets-Shet 1 Fiy. 7 Fig 3 INVENTORSJ wwim R W gwwwr ATTORNEYS.

BY moo/Ma v Nov. 9, 1948. A. G. GILBERT E'i'AL 2,453,623

v INFEJLDING METHOD AND MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 2, 1945 Fig. 7

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' INFOLDING METHOD AND MACHINE Filed June 2, 1945 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS mwvwmwm .kw

ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 9, 1948- AG. GILBERT El AL 2,453,623

INFbI-IDING METHOD AND MACHINE a sheets-sheet 5 filed June 2, 1945 ATTORNEYS.

-Nov. 9, 1948. A. G. GILBERT firm. ,4

I INFOLDING METHOD AND MACHINE Filed June 2, 1945 a Sheets- Shet e Nov. 9, 1948. A. G. GILBERT- ETAL 2,453,623

INFOLDING METHOD AND MACHINE Filed June 2, 1945 a Sheets-Sheet Fiy. 40

INVENTORSZ I L G". QM BY WM Th mma ww+wbzu Patented Nov. 9, 1948 INFOLDING METHOD MACHINE Alfred G, GilberLISouth Acton, and William H. Rogers, Jr., Maiden, Mass, assignors to Reece. Folding, Machine COWIlaDYflEiLSt Cambridge,

Mass, a corporation of Maine.

Application June 2, 1945, SerialNo. 597,190

This invention is a novel infolding method and machine. of the class used. for the foldlng in of the margins and-pressing of the folds of blanks of cloth, fabric, leather orsimilar limp sheet material. the preparing of blanks to form parts of articles of wearing apparel, 315.001.19.115 and cuffs, shirt neckbands, pockets and pocket welts, of cotton,

linen, silk or like goods, or sometimes the more difficult woolen suitings; also shoe uppers of fabric, composite material or leather; also pocketbooks and various other cases andnoveltiesand similar goods. It is desirable and economical also to make many kinds of special articlestor parts with the aid of marginfolding machines, power driven and automatic or semi-automatic, among which may bementioned the padsflorend pieces of garters, the covers of books, the stars of flags, the jackets of baseballs, the pockets of cartridge beltsand like equipment,'and certain parts of gas masks. V 1 i For such a wide range of utility ofinfolding machines it has been customary, and expensive bothto the maker and user, to design specially the machines for the..respective uses, involving thekeeping in stockof man varieties of parts besides the costs of patterns andother factolx;

and it is one of the mainvobjects of the present invention to provide an infolding machinewhich will be. of substantially Wider usefulness and readily adjustable, either in manufacture or in a use, to various different purposes, thusenabling the maker to supply demands withoutmaint aining a numerous line of different models. The machine of this invention isof markedly greater universality of utility than are known machines of the same class; although naturally some adjustments and interchanges must be made, especially of the definingparts of the dies ortem" plets andthe folding parts of the infolding, means,

when adaptations to special shapes of blank are necessary. U

Othe important objects include true and accurate operation giving uniformly perfect results; durable reliability of action; high. speed and output; convenience of control and, ready adjustability and interchange, of parts when needed.

A special object is to .in' prove materially the coordination of the actions .of the definingdie .or templet and the folders or infolding elements upon the successive blanks to the end that the defining and infolding functions maybe better performed, more reliabl an-d without displacement of the work; and improvingalso the fol-- Such machines are used largely for 44 Claims. (craze-3m lowing function of pressing or squeezing the folds to crease and fix them, usually under heat.

Another special object is to improve the operation of pressing or squeezing and fixing the folds by an effective power-operated means, operating by depressing the infolders, which can be read! ily and simply adjusted and setfor almost any required conditions; being thus substantially universal in practical use.

Other objects are to improve the various operations and movements of the die or templet and-its parts and thestructure and mountings thereof; and to improve similarly the system of folders or infolders; and to providean effective means for heating the bed and infolders between which the folds are squeezed and set; also to provide an effective power drive,.with cams or timed means coordinating the various mo; tions' and actions of the instruments and mechae nisms of the machine, with convenientmeans of control thereof.

actuated andcomprising the, following. Centrally,

accessible is the bed, or the blank supporting portion thereof sometimes referred to as a pad,\upon which the successive raw blanks are positioned and from which the completed blanks are removed, manually or by automatic infeeding and outfeeding means. The die or templet is mounted, usually by swinging arms to descend .upon

theblank upon the bed or pad, for defining the blank folds to be formed; the die after the infolding operation being caused to withdraw or extract from the folds, usuall by a bodily contacting or collapsing. action, in which case the die before another cycle of operation being Caused to aexpandtoits initial or defining condition; the contracting type of die consisting of a shiftable body under which are slidably mounted carrier members orblocks which in turn carry the actual blank-defining plates or blades, usually-thin-edged and mounted, at the. foot of shanks attached to the movable elements of the die. The infolding means comprises at least one,

and frequently several infclders, each comprising a body portion and a relatively thin or sharp folder plate, the folder or folders being mounted and operated by mechanism to advance or slide inwardly to efiect the folding, and to take part in the pressing, and later'to return or retract outwardly, leaving the completed blank upon the bed or pad for outfeeding. With these elements, the basic type of machine comprises also a pressure means. for squeezin the folds of each blank between the bed and the folders before the latter have retracted, preferablybydepressing the folders through power connections following the extraction. or collapse of the die.

The illustrated embodiment of the present in vention comes within the type-of infoldingmachine thus outlined, as do numerous prior machines of the Reece or other types. For illustrative purposes the following U. S. patents are i ing of cuffs is illustrated in the patent of Dixon 3 1.,

No. 956,950 of 1910. An instance of folding pockets for jumpers, overalls etc. is disclosed in Dixon i No. 1,753,648 of 1930. Instances of machines for folding small articles such as garter pads are illustrated in the patents of Dixon No. 1,797,641 :1"

cfl93l and No. 1,883,345 of 1932. Machines for infoldin'g the edges of blanks of woolen material'such as the parts or welts of pockets for'mens suits are shownin the patentsof Gilbert No.

2,238,048 of 1941 and No. 2,281,970 01 1942. A

machine for performing the infolding of blanks for straps to form parts of garments is illustrated in the patent of-Dixon'No. 1,979,872 of 1934. These are instances of the various kinds of utility of infolding machines generally, and. it is a purpose of the present invention to provide a universal type of folding machine readily adaptable to the folding of the recited and other parts and products.

On the accompanying eight sheets of drawings an illustrative embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the following figures. On Sheet 1, Fig. 1 is a general perspective view of the illustrative machine, with the die or templet in its contracted and upswung position and with the pressure means at the righthand side shown displaced to, an outwardly remote place to afford a better View of the 'infolding mechanism; numerous parts and details being covered and concealed in this figure but illustrated in other figures. Fig. 2 is a face view of a typical cloth blank as cut out to a design corresponding with the outline of the die shown in Fig. 1 and elsewhere, while Fig. 3 shows the same blank in its completed or infolded and pressed condition; a blank of this design being adapted to be used to form a pocket on certain types of garments, such as jumpers. Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 show an assortment of other infolded blank forms, among the many different designs for which the illustrated machine may be adaptable.

On Sh'e'et 2, Fig. 9, on a larger scale than Fig. l, is afront'iside elevation of the same machine, in greater completeness and detail, and with certain partsvbroken away to show the structure of'oth'er 4 parts beyond, the die being shown in its upswung position. Fig. 10 is a righthand elevation of a detail s eenin Figs. 1 and 9 relating to the automatic steam treatment of each infolded blank to assist the pressing of its folds. Fig. 21 is described further below in connection with Figs. 20 and 22.

Asa matter": of terminology the left and righthand extremities will generally be referred to as the ends of the machine and the frontand back as" the sides; a motion or direction from left to right or. vice versa as longitudinal in a general sense, while fore'and-aft is considered transverse. On Sheet 3, Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 9, with the swingback, thus affording a bottom plan view of the die. Fig. 12 is an exploded view of a detail cornprisingcertain parts constituting the means for securing or clipping a folding plate on the carrier upon which it is mounted to perform itsinfolding-niovementsywhile Fig. 13 is a top plan view underside of its carrier'plate. Fig. 15 is a chart of diagrams of various'infolder combinations and the in-and-out movements thereof as instances of "the varied possibilities of the machine to be described. l c

OnSheet 4, Fig. 16in left elevation shows cer' tain portions of the driving mechanism of the machine including the automatic means for stopping the operation at certain points of time, including an intermediate point and at the end of each cycle. Fig. 17 isa plan view showing certain details offthe die construction, including the connections or linkage by which the contracting andexpanding movements are distributed to the sliding members which carry the defining plates. Fig. l8is aisirnilar View of the same taken at the lower levelindicated at l3l8 of Fig. 19. Fig. 19 is a front elevation of the same parts of the die; its protecting cover or housing being omitted.

On Sheet 5, Fig. 20, looking from the right is an end elevation taken partly in section on the line 250-20 of Fig. .9, showing the mechanism for actuating the folders to move transversely inwardly and outwardly. Fig. 21 is a front elevation of one of the train of elements shown in Fig. 20; while Fig. 22 is a right hand elevation of the same part. Fig. 23 is a vertical section view of part'of the infolder operating connections taken on the section line 23-23 of Fig. 11, looking from theright. Fig. 24 isa front View of certain infolder operating connections shown in vertical section on the line 24 24 of vFig. 11. Fig. 25, referring also to the infolder operating connections, is a vertical section taken on the line 25-25 of Fig. 9, looking from the right. Figs. 26, 27 and 28 are righthand elevations of three rotary disk members respectively which in Fig. 9 are shown assembled in a compact arrangement or cluster;

1 Fig. 29 being a front elevation of this folder cam assembly, seen also in right elevation in Fig. 20, where the figure is broken away in a manner toshow portions of all three rotary members.

I On Sheet'B, Fig. 30 is a right elevation of a portion of the machine including the bed, the die and one infolder, and the mechanism for effecting both kinds of lifting and lowering movements of the die as performed during each cycle. Fig. 31 is a top view of the die and the means for carrying it for its up and down movements.

l t n mea s, k t .i seen ne r t Fi .32. s a isht lerot e o certain Perws n Fi t to ether a i s th n er ea cam th reo lele ati n of part o one f th end of Fig. 9. vris- 34 is a r s t and e evation ther o par y insoct qi othe ct ee i o 9. 3.5 s a.baclselevationoit e r me dine older lift nem ans at the ba k sid o the machine. c

On Sheet 5, l -ig. 36 is a rear elevation view partly in section on the -,1oositudina line t t-Th5 of 11 showing in part the pressure applying means .and related parts of the mechanism; also the steam circuits for the bedchest and spray. Fig. 3'7 shows a detached one of the presser meme bers or rocklevers of a presser device, in central vertical sectional view, while Fig. 38 is a similar view of the other partof the device, being the supporting or base member upon which the press; er. member is mounted to tilt for applying and relieving the pressure on the folder. Fig. 39 is a diagrammatic view in elevation of a preferred means for operating hydraulically the several presser members.

On Sheet 8, Fig. 4G is a motion diagram, laid out to show for a single cycle of operation of the machine the variousrising and lowering moves mentsof the die and of the infolders, in their preferred relative timing, and indicating also the relation of these movements to certain other main actions of-lthe machine, e. g. the die extraction, the folder in-and-out motions, and the spray andpressure actions. Rigs ll, 42 and 43 are diagrams showing the contours of the cams which cause the die and folder lifting and lowering movements, thesei'lgures carrying diagram reference characters corresponding to certain of those on Fig. 40. Figs, 44,45, 46, 4'7, 48 and 49 are successive diagrams in elevation illustrating the actions of the die and folders upon a blank resting upon the'bed. when carried out in accordance with the diagrams of Figs. to 43.

Refer-ring first to the illustrations of certain products which can be made upon the machine hereof, Fig. 2 shows a face view of a cloth or other in 4 suitable for the pocket of a shirt; and

blank D 5, for a similar purpose. The blank E in Fig, 63 is of a shape suitable for a shirt cull and thisfigure shows in dotted lines that i-llustrated cuff may have greater or lesser length.

The blank D of Fig. '7 is of a form suitable for the facing of a shirt sleeve. Blank ne of 8 represents a common formof pocket flap.

Referring next to. certain of the general parts 013 the machine, its frame comprises an upright left endwall' 511 and a corresponding right frame.

52; between which much of the operating mechanism is, enclosed. At the bottom the end walls interconnected by, a low cross frame 5.3 near the front supportingthe controlling pedat an l ht y higher a back cross frame 5.5

supporting a drive motortfi, which preferably a electric motor s convenient means or drive. nestles. Qmmeqt d; with, the m r as follows. 9!! is best seen in 11, this leading to a T'- equ r ng no pecific d c p i n Certain. of the hiiparatus is preferably closed or covered when in commercial use, the covers however being generally omitted throughout the,

figures, excepting that in Fig. 1 there is shown an upright front cover ti, concealing and protect-. ingmostofthe interior mechanism, but formed \y-itha sleeved aperturefiil to give access for manual manipulation of adrive shaft to be described. At the back; of Fig. l is seen also a central cover 53 between two other covers E4, serving to. house therear axle and certain parts mounted thereon.

The generalframe, of which the end walls 5! and M ami the bottom frames 53 and 55 have been mentioned, is substantiallycompleted by a top frame wall or piecefiii, extending between and suitably attached to the tops of the end walls 55 and 52, this top frame wall being shown in Figs. 1, 9, ll, 20, 30, 34 and 36, it giving support to numerous parts mounted both above and beneath it. Qther substantial fixed members which may. be considered'part of the frame comprise the following. At the inner side of the right end Wall 52 areshown a pair of main brackets 68 .atthe front, and a corresponding bracket, not seen, at the rear, these carrying the bearings iii and H, Fig. 16,101 the transverse drive shaft M9 to, be described, positioned at about half the height of the frame. Other important brackets are the drop brackets 12 at the left and 13 at the right mounted at the under side of the top horizontal frame Wall 56, depending therefrom and carryin a t their lowerends the left bearing 14 and the right bearing 15 for the longitudinal main orcam shaft l2il to bedescribed. Another pair or brackets H at the left rear and it at the right rear, shown as integral rear upwaidextensions of the upright framewalls 5i and 52 are provided in order to. carry left and right bearings :Hi and 89 for a rear axle or oscillating shaft. l2,l to be described. i

A main central element above the top frame wall 156; is a bed or support constructed 1101-. low to constitute a steam chest for the heating of the central parts above the. bed. The bed is shown substantially coextensive with the top 7 frame wall 56 and is mounted thereon by means of bolts 83 in a manner to space the bedslightly above the wall as seen in Fig.2il. In its cornpleteness the, bed comprises, the hollow chest 82 containing the steam space 86 and overlying the top Wall thereof a plate or cover 8t, which is of a special structure and receives heat from the bed, transmitting it upwardly to the blank sup-- porting pad 88 thereabcve, which in effect is also a supplement to the bed, the blank receiving, dc

- fining and folding operations being performed on top of the described series of superimposed elements.

The steam heating of the bed maybe effected Themain steam inlet or supply pipe coupling from which descends a drain connection 9! to eliminatev water, While another connection 92 leads directly into the steam space in the bed oajbest seen in. 36,, there being a drain Pipe 93 to eliminate condensate from the chest.

This drain pipe may have valve means, not shown, providing a receiving space from which condensate may be discharged methodically or at intervals. The general steam supply pipe db may have a shut-off valve 94, usually kept open during operation for supplying steam continuously for the heating of the bed and superimposed parts.

Having described generally the bed, comprising its hollow body or chest 82 and its cover plate 86, which gives support to the blank receiving pad 88, all maintained heated for effective folding, certain details of these elements will now be described, and at the same time a supplemental means of heating by electricity, useful also in cases where steam heating is inconvenient or unavailable. By using both heating means together, plus the blank moistening means or steam spray to be described, a more effective and quicker pressing or creasing is performed upon either ordinary or dilficult materials. The metal bed and folders are hotter as also are the steam spray passages. The spray becomes substantially a true vapor free of entrained water, and excessive condensation is avoided when the steam contacts the folders and blank. The spray is needed only at the start of pressing, to break down the fiber resistance to a sharp creasing and it is cut off early; and during continued pressing. The double heating system expedites the driving off of the moisture left in the fabric, ensuring a dry 3 product. By these quickening actions the machine maybe speeded and the cycle shortened, resulting in a desirably increased rate of production of blanks with folded edges that remain creased. The electric heat when used may be considered the main source, more intense than that of steam, the steam supply being important mainly for spray purposes, the chest 82 and drain piping aiding in minimizing condensation in the spray lines. The described electric-steam heat is more than a mere convenience; it is a basic factor in enhancing quality and out-put, especially of blanks of difficult fabrics or shapes, rendering the automatic machine fit for replacement of manual folding systems heretofore much employed.

For electrical heating or superheating the upper side of the bed is recessed above the hollow chest 82, in order to provide a flat space to receive the electrical elements; or this space might be provided through depending ribs on the cover plate 86. Accommodated in this fiat space between chest and cover are shown a number of electrical heating elements 'in the form of fiat strips 96, as best seen in Fig. 36 and at the left side of Fig. 11. These elongated strips contain resistance circuits, which are encased in an insulating case or coating. Each heating strip has at its left extremity a connecting plug 91, and the several strips, four being shown, are readily inserted into the righthand side of the recess, without any need of disassembling any part of the machine, and thrust longitudinally through into place, with their plugs 9?! connected into sockets 98 mounted at the inner side of the electrical heater box 59; the box having a switch 99 by which the current can be thrown into the heaters or cut off at will, or adjusted. The strip type of electrical heating element is conventional and needs no further description, and conventional thermostatic or other means may naturally be installed to control the resulting temperatures, as by current regulation.

The cover plate 86 of the bed is shown as formed with a number of undercut grooves 31 at its top g side, seen for example in Figs. 1, 11 and 36, for the reception of the mountings or nuts 311, Fig. 38, of the presser devices to be described, several of which are shown in diiferent arrangements and which can by means of said grooves be located in the most effective places for the depression of the infolder margins to squeeze and fix the blank infolds. As seen in Fig. 36 the pressers mounted in the grooves of the bed cover overreach the infolders which lie above the pad portion of the bed, as will be further described. For unusual conditions a presser device may be located in odd places by drilling and tapping a hole at the top side of the bed cover plate to receive the presser mounting bolts 376, Fig. 38, dispensing with the nut 31".

The pad member 88 of the blank supporting elements is shown as formed with passages, by means of underneath grooves ml, for the distribution of steam to be discharged upwardly or sprayed into the folded fabric of the successive blanks for moistening them to improve the fixing of the folds. These grooves Ill! appear in Figs. 11 and 36, and they lead from a central receiving point to points near the periphery Whereat the pad is perforated with upwardly directed exits or nozzles H32, suitably located to reach the folded blank fabric well within the periphery thereof. For such purposes the pad ma be interchangeable for different shapes to be folded, although a properly designed and perforated pad may serve without change for a great variety of shapes.

For supplying steam to the spray passages of the pad there is shOWna common or central uptake passage or pipe I03 leading into the distributing grooves I ll! and this uptake passage is supplied by a steam pipe H35 arranged in the.

recess between the bed chest and cover, for example between two of the electrical heating elements 96 along the longitudinal axis of the machine. The supply of steam under pressure for such moistening purposes is not continuous, but

intermittent, under suitable timing; and a spray v controlling valve I06 is shown discharging into the pipe I and receiving steam by a supply pipe lll'l connected with the steam main 90.

The timing and duration of the steam spraying action may be varied, but in each cycle is usually applied as a short blast or puff of steam, admitted by the valve H16, commencing for example about the time the die retracts from the infolded edges of the blank, and continued until about the time the squeezing pressure between infolders and pad is applied. These parts being under a continuous elevated temperature, the cutoff of the steam causes a rapid drying of the parts and of the blank during the elfective squeezing and fixing of its folds. For bringing about such controlled spraying actions the valve may be operated under automatic timing substantially as follows.

The valve I06, which is shown of the conventional blow-off or whistle type, normally spring-closed but openable for a brief puff, has its stem I89 spring-retracted to close the valve. For opening it there is shown a short lever arm 1 ill adapted to press inward the stem when swung by the long tail arm I I i of the lever, the lever being pivoted at H2 on a bracket H3. See Figs. 1, 9, 10 and 11. For timed action the lever long arm is shown carrying a follower H4 which may normally rest upon the righthand end of the main shaft I20 by the spring action but is thrown frontwardand promptly let back in each cycle explained.

the throw of the lever andopera r I thereby, and alsojfor the" timing thereof relative spraying bf folded emanates eerie u squeezingpressure, and quick drying out, were made known iii and by the aforesaid patents of Gilbert NOS. 2,238,048 2;281',$7VO', to 1gb H V reference may be had for fuitlier disclo i g 1 ,w r 1 The steam moistening may be used or not a q; op the g g bs? no t me to the fabric workGdofl; whil the heat 1 a Mite-neg dysqpdrri may be electrical or by steam; whicheveris best for the work inhahd, or both simultaneously, as

b To refer next to certain gene-5m rotary rnem bers or rotors, shafts and axles, there issh driven by a belt mrr'om; therhfotor 56; a pow i rotor or pulley l [3, turning continuously through cycle after cycle, see Figs. Qahd 16; andjnext, clutch-driven and declntchable from the power pulley and coaxial therewith, a'horizontal drive shaft H9, set transversely and turning the front and rear bearings '39 and H, see also Fig.

1; also, gear driven from thepower shaft; a horic'a zontal main or cam shaft I25, turning'in the left b V tted'thi'ough 13h disksfl2 and righthand bearings: 'M'and T5, and carrying rtn the greater part of the operating and timing cams for the die/the folders, and the presse'rs, and turning clockwise in left end View. As' is customary, a single rotation of the mainshaft corresponds with ohe complete cycle including the defining, folding and pressing ofeac h of a succession of blanks; and the driving and stop-n ping means, with manualcon'trol by the pedal M, is arranged to stop the main shaft at the point corresponding toth'e end of the cycle, with die; folders and pressersretraeted the corn pleted blank accessible for extraction from the pad and replacement by an unfolded blank; with preferably an intermediate stop also, While the pressure is in effect, giving the opportunity to prolong the hot and moist sque'ezing lof blanks of fractiousmatei ial or form, as will be'de scribecl. There is further a rverselyrocking shaft or axle I2! above and to the'rear of thbed, abpu't which the die swings, and supported in, the bea'ririg s l9 and 80 on therear brackets ll and 1Q; and other rockshafts or axles including some extend ing fore-and-aft and turning in the frame top place 66 as a bearing to be explained in detail. The chi h upper i liidis'a Referring next to the" connections from the H r yoKehasswun rear'i power pulley or member H8 rehe drive shaft I6 1;s: 1ewerene* r Q's; H9 and mainshaft J20; the lastmentigrid receives itssloW cyclical rotation frornthe drive shaft through a wort 123 fast on thedriye shaft meshing with a worm gear ljfl fast on themain shaft, these constituting a reduction gearing; as does also the belt drive from the motor to the power pulley. The worrn'gear l24cons'titutes the peripheral portion of aldisk or web I25 the hub of which is keyed to the rnain shaftg lhe communicationof the rotation'fronrthe pulley H8 to the d'riveshaft is through amanually operable clutch whichmay beffof any conventional kind, for exan'rple a marketed elutch called the Dodge rolling grip fricti'on 'cli tch No. B1 45, which is herein shown. The clutch body [3! is a sleeve fast on the drive'or wornhshaft H9, being keyed thereto and located axially bya set screw I r Basically the illustrated clutch comprises a rotary disk l3il of friction material fldatingbe tween a pair of steeldisk's' I26; and these' latter 1 1 warclly by the swinging of the shipper toe. The brake lever is fulcrumed at I41 on a drop bracket I48 beneath the shaft bearing II. The front end of the brake lever carries a brake shoe I49 adapted to be pressed upwardly against the brake collar I21 of the drive shaft, to effect quick retarding and stopping thereof whenever the drive clutch is opened. This gives an instantaneous stoppage of the main shaft, especially since the momentum of the machine parts is unable to act through the gear I24 to the worm I23 on the drive shaft.

The throw off of power and application of brake by the rocking of the shipper I36 may be either manual through the pedal extension I42 or automatic at certain points in the cycle of the machine. For automatic throw-off a resilient pull rod or bent link II is arranged with its rear end connected to the top end of the shipper and with its front end connected to a rockarm I52 upstanding from a fulcrum I53 on the drive shaft bearing 10. In order to pull frontwardly on the throw-off link or connector rod I5I the upstanding rockarm I52 is provided at its top end with a follower or roll I54 which cooperates with certain throw-off members I56 and I51, operated from the main shaft disk I25. These actuating members are shown as lugs, buttons, studs or cams projecting leftwardly from the gear disk I25 and partaking of the clockwise rotation thereof as seen in Fig. 16. The rockarm follower I54 stands partly in the path of the lugs I56 and I51, so that the lugs are able to thrust or cam the follower and arm frontwardly at predetermined points in the cycle, determined by the adjustable positions of the lugs on the cam disk, Thus the lug I56 is positioned to throw off the drive during the squeezing action upon each blank, enabling the blank squeezing period to be prolonged. In Fig, 16 the lug I56 in its rotation has contacted the follower I54 and is about to thrust the follower frontwardly with a short further rotation of the disk. The frontward throw of the follower pulls frontwardly the connector rod I5 I which in turn rocks the shipper I36 and retracts the sliding hub I29 of the clutch to uncouple the shaft I I9, at the same time applying the brake I 49 to bring the released drive shaft to a stop, approximately at the time the cam lug I56 arrives at a point radially inward of the follower I54. At a later point, namely at the final end of each cycle,,the second cam lug I51 similarly thrusts upon the follower I54 to cause again a stoppage of the machine, with the parts in position for the ready removal and replacement of each blank.

In order to permit the restarting of the rotation of the drive and main shafts after each described stoppage, a yielding means is necessary to permit the reverse throw of the lever, since the follower I 54 and rockarm I52 are held locked frontward by one or the other of the cam lugs. This feature is provided by the form or, charactor of the connecting rod or link I5I. Instead of being a straight and rigid connection this link is shown as extensively bent, a simple arrangement being the right angle bend shown, with a short leg extending from one end of the link to an offset position from which the main length of the link extends to the other end. Obviously other forms of bending would afford resilience in this connection, or the link might be a telescoping connecting rod, with a strong additional spring tending to hold it in normal position. By any such arrangement, when the shafts have been stoppedandthe follower is blocked as described, the pedal 54 can still be depressed, thereby to swing the shipper into clutching and unbraking position, by reason of the yield of the'connector I5I, upon which rotation is resumed, the, cam lug quickly passing by the follower and relieving the operator of the need of holding depressed the pedal.

The die, templet or blank defining member I66 will be next described, in advance of the info-lder system and thepressing means- It is best shown in Figs. 1, 9, 11, 14, 17, 18, 19, 30 and 31. It coinprise's ingeneral the defining blades 16! which are interchangeable for various shapes ,of blank and which are the parts that come down directly upon the blank resting upon the supporting, pad 68; also thereabove a system of movable blade carriers or slides I62 at the corners of the die and I63 at the middle of the long sides, having to do with the contraction and expansion of the die; all of these parts being mounted beneath or depending from the underside of a die body I64 inthe form of a heavy oblong plate, which is supplemented by an overlying top plate I65, constituting the screw-attached cover or upper part of the body, these two parts being relatively fixed and rigid parts not movable except bodily toward and from the machine bed or pad and carrying the defining blades downwardly and upwardly therewith. The group of elements I64 and I55, and rigidly associated parts, may be designated a cross-head or diehead on account of the rising and lowering movements which it bodily undergoes.

With this invention the diehead I64-I65 not merely partakes of the down and upswinging motions afforded by the swingarms I18 but under-- goes an additional vertical descending and ascending movement, while close to the supporting pad, relative to what will be termed a swinghead provided at the front ends of the swingarms; so that when the die rises, its motion commences with a straight vertical lift as the diehead moves on the swinghead, followed by an upward swinging movement with the swingarms, and vice versa. The relation of the diehead and swinghead is best shown on Figs. 30 and 31, the diehead comprising the body or plate I 64 and the overlying cover plate I55, while the swinghead comprises the front ends I66 of the swingarms I18 and, carried by the same, two or more slide bearings I 6? in the form of upright bosses, at the ends of the respective swingarms, bored to receive and permit relative vertical play of a pair of sliding rods I68 upstanding from the cover plate of the diehead.

By this mechanism, when the die is in its defining position, it is fitted for a short, straight vertical sliding movement relatvely to the swnghead I66 I61, as well as the extensive upward and downward swinging movements provided by the swingarms which carry the swinghead.

Describing further the short vertical slide movement of the diehead, its relative descent may be brought about by gravity, its slide rods I63 sliding freely through the upright bearings I61. To limit the relative descending movement of the diehead a stop means is provided, shown in the form of a pair of stop fingers I69 upstanding from the cover plate and overlying a pair of stop members or abutments I10. These abutments function not merely to prevent undue descent of the diehead relative to the swinghead but also as a means of effecting the relative ascending movements of the diehead and the gravitylowering movements thereof. For this purpose the two abutments I'Ifl are shownxin'the formof swinging members or arms, adapted to. contact the undersides of the stop fingers I69 or rather the adjusting stop. screws I'II thereof. stable movement of these parts, theleft and righthand abutment arms IIi}. are shown as swinging about a rear axis whereat is a pivot axle 813 on which the two abutmentsor lifting arms I19 are mounted, the axle being mounted upon leftfland righthand ears I'M upstanding from the front portions I68 of the respective swingarms I18: For actuating purposes the two rocking or lifting arms I'Ill are shown as rigidly interconnected by a longitudinal bar I'i5, from a convenient portion of which extends rearwardly an actuating rockarm H6, extending along the contour of the swingarms H3 or the crossweb I19 connecting such arms and at its rear end carrying a follower or roll I'll by which the rockarm can be swung downwardly at certain times to lift the swinging abutments lit and thereby cause a short degree of vertical ascent of the diehead and the carriers and defining blades carried thereby.

The: die carrying swingarms I13 may be separate, or may be interconnected by the cross web I19at the middle portions-thereof, the rear ends of the two swingarms being provided with hubs iBi) turning upon or with the upper rear axle I2l extend ng between the upper rear bearings 19 and 89. For swinging this described system suitable power connections may be used and these may operate by thrusting frontwardly upon an extension arm or toe I8! provided on the left hub- H80. The die and carrying arms being upswung by a thrust, as upon the hub toe I8l, their down swing may be by the force of gravity, under control of the actuating means; and by this arrangement the die and arms are at all times freely swingable by hand at will up, over and back to an idle position, seen in the top view, Fig, 11, whereat a fixed abutment stop; I82 receives through a second toe ltiiirthe gravity weightof the parts, as is convent onal in such machines.

The swinging connections from the main shaft I29, may be as follows. The frontwardthrusting of the depending toe iBI -may be effected by a thrust pin I84 guided by a radius arm ifihwhich keeps the pin in thrusting relation to the toe to effect upswing of the die, see Fig, 30. The frontward pull or thrust may be broughtaboutby a drawb'ar. or link I89 extending from the thrust pin I89 to. a double or two-sided yoke I81, seen also in Fig. 9, the drawbar beingpivoted at 88 tothe yoke between the cheeks of the latter. Each yoke cheek is shown with a substantial slot E83; straddling and giving guidance upon the hubs of the cam N2 onthe main shaft l20. The frontward actuation of the yoke and drawbar is effected through. a follower or roll I99 near the. front extremity of the yoke, this roll bearing upon the periphery of the cam I92 fast upon the main shaft. The cam is shown as having a slant I92 by, which the follower moves rearwardly to allow the die to descend, followed by a dwell I92 duringwl'iicli the die has no swinging movement but may descend or ascend vertically, succeededwby a slant I92 which thrusts frontwardly onthe follower and causes the swingarmsvand thedie to lift to the position shown in Figs 1 and 9, and a second dwell I92 occupying the greater part'ofthe cycle, during which the dieremains in its upswung position, which position is indicated also in Fig. 30 by dotted lines.- l

The contour and timing ofthe die-swinging cam ,I 92; and" its rotary positioniort thetmainisha-ft Fora 14 are such as cause die swing reti ements cocrcii nated with theother actions of the machiiie iri each cycle; and the various other actions are similarly coordinated, thus to afford acomplete cycle suitable for perfbrmirrgthe defining; folding and squeezing of whatever"kind anarbrmof blank is tobe handled; an example'of stichcycle to be described in connection with-the diagrams of Figs. 40 to l-9". Aceurate setting of the lowered armandan adjusting set screw I96 projecting belowthe swing-arm web I19 by which the initial osition of the diehaad' may be correctly predetermined thus depressing the arm andbodily lifting" the abutments" I'IU'and die relatively to the swinghead, to be later restored by reverse mo tions. For such operation the rear endfllI of-the wedge bar I94 is forked to straddlethe rear'axle I-2 l'for'guidance; and carries a fellower I 98 em teredin' the cam or groove I99 of a cam disl fzilil' whosehuh Z0! is loose upon therear' axle I21} and whichservesalso as thecamfor thediemon tractingconnections to be described. 'Ilne-fol lower", by aset screw 202; adiuStaloIe Mpontlre wedge bar I94 toward and from the camazfis: thus t0 permit arlinitial adjustment of thefbar relatively tothe cam, determiningtherelationbf the tapered end I' of the" bar to the'follower said element, and thereby theextentordista'nce through which the rocking abutments" lill' will lift the diehead relatively to the swingneadhneach cycle.

Thecam groove I99 in the diskmll; fer effect" ing the controlled short vertical' lift of the die-' head, is shown as mainly cornphsedi of a dwell I99 followed" by a first'sianttrst effective to throw frontwardlyf the follower l9lfa'n'd the wedge bar I94 to lift the "diehead';. followed'in turn-byla short duration of "dwell "wa during which other motionsof' the cycleitake place, and followed in turn by a. return slant I99 retracting: the wedge bar andv allowing, the rocking abutmentsto' lower again thedie headito. normal position; The, cam disk 200 is rotated counterclockwise as seeni in therighthand elevation OfFig-tBO turnin t loosely upon the rear axle I 2 IL' Forthe con-tinuous drive of the cam, when-the powenis on, suitable-con nectionsfrom the main! shaft I-ZIl may, be "pro vided, of which the following is-arr example; Attachedt to the hub= 29f of the cam disk zilll is- -a' sprocket-wheel or gear 2ill3 -engagedbyarcontiniit ous sprockettchain 29e-which -also engages wlth one to-one ratio a-i sprocket wheel 209 on the main shaft I 29, as seen in Fig} 32. order that the sprocket chairr may travel: in apatH fi ee oF interference with other parts; the cloain is p a' ed around a pain of idler-s 206 carried on a bent lever 29'! whose hubistl'ocs'eon theupp'etrearaxie I 21, andiwithani adjusting :contact screw- Z'IIB' 'prQ- vided' near the endaof the l'e'verand 'b'ea rig against-I- 'arblacketifllflfa attached to the fr me up wall are ail'ldi folmi-n'ghai fixed contact, tiie scte'w 208 also being available for taking up slack in the chain.

In Figs. and 31, as inFig. 45, the die has just descended upon the blank on the pad or support 88, prior to the infolders moving inward over the edges of the die blades; and shortly the die, suspended from the swinghead, is to receive a normal or vertical lift in a short amount preparatory to the contraction of the die out of the folds, following which contraction the die is swung up to its elevated position indicated by comparison of the full lines and dotted lines in Fig. 30. The value of this parallel lift of the diehead, hung from above for that purpose, is that it insures an equal degree of lift, for contraction purposes, around the entire periphery of the die, which it is found can not be satisfactorily done by employing only a swinging rise of the die, the latter motion introducing a decided tilt of the undersurface of the die, precluding accurate operations especially in handling blank shapes havin a large fore-and-aft dimension. On the other hand the attempt to contract a die without the slight lifting motion to relax its pressure on'the blank is known frequently to cause difficulties by the dragging of the material of the blank out of place and causing a substantial amount of defectiveoperation and product. These difficulties are eliminated by the disclosed plan of a slight relaxing vertical 1ift of the entire die, in cooperation with a similar lift of the folders, followed by die contraction and upswing, while the folders are caused tolower again for the squeezing and fixing of the folds.

Next will be described the construction of the die as regards its contracting and expanding movements. best explainable on Figs. 17, 18 and 19 taken with Figs. 1, 9, l1 and 30. Underneath the die body plate I64 are the corner carriers I62 and the side carriers I63, which carriers have inward movement, the blank defining plates being carried therebelow and partaking of the same contracting movements. Proper alinement of corner and side carriers and plates is secured by means of longitudinal alim'ng bars 2Il running in undercut ways 2I8 at the top side of the carriers, and centrally attached to the side carriers I63.

The die blade mountings beneath the carriers are best shown in Figs. 11 and 14! Each blade is screw attached beneath a holder 220, which has an upstanding shank 22I which is longitudinally elongated and has a top flange. Each carrier I62 or I63 is formed with underneath grooves 222 to receive the top flanges of the die blade shanks. This permits longitudinal adjustment of the die blades, the adjustment bein secured by a clamping bar 223 which itself is doubly flanged, one flange bearing on the flange of the blade shank and the other upon the underside of the carrier, with a screw 224 passing through the clamp bar and into the carrier.

Coming next to the connections for contracting and expanding the die, the guide shoe 2I2 for each rear corner carrier has pivoted to it a link 226, While each front shoe has pivoted to it a link 221, these two links, at each end of the die, extending to the outer and inner corners respectively of a rocking plate 228 pivoted at 229 at the top side of the die body plate I E4, the oscillating plate 223 being in effect a three-armed lever, with two arms for the guide shoes and a third arm for actuation through a link 232. These and associated parts, mounted atop the body plate are enclosed by cover plate I65, seen in Fig. 30 and indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 17; and inside of the same interior space is provided also a laterally slidable bar 235, the rear end of which projects beyond the rear edge of the body plate, where it carries a head 233, seen also in Fig. 30. From the left and right sides of the sliding head 233 extend the links 232 to the rocking plates 223, so that the reverse sliding movements of the bar cause the rocking of the'two plates and thereby the simultaneous inward and outward movements of the several guide shoes and the die blade carriers therebelow.

For actuating the slidebar 21H in its rearward or contracting motion and its return or expandin motion, are shown the following connections. From the barhead 233 extends a link 235; seen also in Figs. 1, 9 and 11, this link extending t a device 238 comprising a slotted swingable member through which is effected a connection between the link 235 and a yoke member 237 which for its guidance straddles the hub 29: of the cam disk 2%. The member 236 is pivoted to the swinging web I19 of the die carrying arms and is slotted in order to provide an adjustment of the pivot between the member and the link 235; by which arrangement a given cam motion of the yoke 23'! can give a variable throw to the link 235, the slidebar ZSI and the parts beyond. As best seen in Figs. 9 and 11 the yoke 23'! carries a stud 239 which projects leftwardly from the yoke into a cam groove 2M? formed at the righthand face of the disk Zilil, while for initial adjustment the stud 239 can be shifted on the yoke by means of an adjusting screw 24L By these means the cam groove 240 at the righthand side of the disk 2G0 constitutes the timing cam for the contracting and expanding movements of the die. The exact contour of the cam or groove 245 is not necessary to show, being on known principles, the die descending upon the blank in its expanded condition, as in Figs. 44 and 45, where it remains during the infolding operation as in Fig. 46, following which and following the slight vertical rise of the die, the die is contracted by the cam 240 out of the blank folds as in Fig. 48, being at any time thereafter restored to expanded condition in preparation for the descent of the die in the next cycle.

The die mechanism thus described affords a great variety of ways to arrange and mount and operate the die holders 220 beneath the setof carriers I62, I63. Figs. ll, 14 etc. show two longitudinal mounting grooves 222 to each of the six carriers, a total of twelve grooves, for that many die blade locations, and with longitudinal adjustment as required for various shapes to be folded. The arrows in Fig. 11 and Fig. 18 show the directions in which the carriers and blades may be contracted. The fore-and-aft adjust ment of the position of the transmitting bar 23I is by the follower-adjusting screw MI. The extent of throw in the contracting and expanding motions is adjustable by the lever member. 236. Such die mechanism is practically universal in its usefulness. When a blank is to be folded such that contraction of die is not essential for ace-3,623

ble or interchangeable in accordance with the.

shapeor character of the blank to be folded. In the illustrated example a system of two folders is shown, one folder N for the righthand end and part of the rear of. the contour and another folder 246" for the lefthand end and the remainder of the rear contour, this shape, being a, jumper pocket as in Figs 2 and. 3, requiring no folding. along the front side. On. top of each folder near its folding edge are removably attached the conventional gage members 2 21, so set as to accom-- modate between them the raw or unfolded blank. There may be one, two or more folders.

While. the folder motions may be straight or diagonal, and the mounting and adjusting means so provides, in the example shown: the two folders are caused to move inwardly along approaching. diagonal directions, so as to turn the fabric over inwardly and down upon the leftand righthand and rear edgesof the die. This inward infolder movement, and. the subsequent outward movement may be considered as the advancing and retracting motions of the infolder set or system. Additionally, as will be described the systemv of infolders is fitted to rise bodily, or be lifted, to. a small extent, to clear the thickness of the die for the advancing inward or folding movement with subsequently a further slight lifting, movement, at the'time that the die lifts vertically to a slight extent to relax its bearing upon: the blank for contraction purposes; the infolder after the die contraction being promptly lowered. in order to: hold and press the folds of the blank by the weight of the parts, to be followedby the powerful depression of the folders to squeeze and crease the folds between the folders and the underneath support. The mountings permitting. thesevarious. folder movements will next. be described;

The infolders are shown as mounted indirectly but. rig-idly upon carriers or folder blocks 249, which in turn are all mounted upon one or the other of two long and heavy longitudinal folder bars-or carriages 2.50, whichare hollow to accommodate certain working parts. The carriers or blocks. 2&9 are arranged to slide longitudinally onthe carriages 25s, at the front and back of the machine, this affording the longitudinal in and out movements of the folders, while the carriages 250" each have a transverse or fore-and-aft inward and outward movement and as well up-anddown movements for the. lifting. and lowering of bore 253 produced ata desired. position on the looking the folder in position. The folder is either apertured or bored to receive the stud, as seen in Fig; 13, and it islocked by means of a clip piece 251 shown separately in Fig. 12, this being recessed at 258 to engage within the studgroove and having an upstanding ear 25$ for applying and removing the clip when a folder is to be re-l adjusted or, interchanged. For convenience. each clip may be attached upon its folder by a pivot pin and hole 268' so that it may be swungaside for detachment and replaced. at will, without loss of. clip.

The mounting of the folder block 269 upon the carriage 2581s by means of a dovetail groove 26l in the block engaging a dovetail rib or way 262 on the carriage, permittingwlongitudinal relative movements of. the blocks upon the carriages, For effecting such block movements the following, means are shown. Atits upper side the carriage is formed with an alining groove 264, while the block has a complementary groove .285. These grooves have a portionof their longitudinal length 1 occupied by one or more alining bars or sliders 265, which can slide freely on the carriages but are adjustably locked to the blocks for any required adjustment.

and an exteriorly accessible bolt or screw 268 which is tightenedv to compel. the block tomove longitudinally with the movements of the alining l bar266, in a manner to be described. Whenthe set screw 288, is relaxed the block and carried folder may be longitudinally. adjusted to suitthe work in. handand the block again clamped to the slider or alining bar.

side are maintainediniproper alinement through-1 out their operative actions. The carriage is hollow. by a. groove 25l open-below.

Each carriage. 250. maybe considered as floating on its. actuating mechanisms, needing no other support; but its endwise positioning is prosupport to the carriages and folder system when lowered; but. for such initial support each carriage at. each end is shown. as restingdown' upon a shoulder 328. which is formed on a part of the mechanism to be described which effects the transverse in-and-out movements of the infolders. Eventually the support of, the carriages, carriers and folders is. upon the frame top plate 66.

The movementsof the infolder system comprise bodily lifting and lowering movements as already described, effected by the simultaneous. lifting. and lowering of the front and back longitudinal carriages or folder bars 250, and inward and outward. or advancing and contracting movements, which may be considered as divided into two components, namely longitudinal or rightward and leftward and transverse or frontward and backward. It isconvenient first to describe the connections for effecting the lifting and lowering movements of the entire infolde system, a with reference particularly to Figs. 9, 33, 34 and 35. There are shown liftin members or toes 214,, at the front, adapted to bear upwardly upon the lower. ends of the'depending lugs 21!] of the front carriage or lifting bar; 251! and generally similar lifting toes 215 at eachend of the back Such locking means may be. in the form of a gib 251 within the groove 265,1

Through the carriage groove 264 the two folders at the front or rear l 19 carriage; the front and back toes at each end being arranged to swing upwardly for lifting purposes and being interconnected by a rockshaft 21B, extending fore-and-aft through bores formed in the frame top wall 66 as bearings. At the front the lifting toe v214 is mounted indirectly on the fore-and-aft shaft, being secured adjustably upon a depending arm 21'! through which actuation is transmitted. The front toe is adjustable on said arm so as to bring it into exact timing with the rear toe, so that both ends of the two carriages will be lifted simultaneously to maintain the infolder system horizontal throughout lifting and lowering movements. Such a coordinating adjustment of the front lifting toe U4 is shown as provided by means of an adjustin eccentric 218 cooperating with a pinand-slot mounting 279 of the end of the toe upon the depending lever.

By these arrangements the infolder system may be bodily lifted by swinging outwardly, from each other, the two depending front arms 21'! near the left and right ends of the machine, with return by gravity. At the lower end of each arm 211 is provided a cam follower or stud and roller 280, mounted on the arm by an adjusting device comprising a concentric slot in the arm, with right and left adjusting screws 28] to shift the stud relatively on the arm and a lock nut 282 on the stud to secure the adjustment. Thus exact coordination at the two ends may be attained. The stud roller at the left runs upon the open face of a cam 284 while at the right the roller runs on a cam 285. These cams are formed on cam disks 28B and 281 respectively, the hubs of which are secured on the main shaft I20, and the left disk 286 carrying also a second cam, tobe described, taking part in the blank pressing operations. The two cams are symmetrically alike and their contour is partially indicated in Figs. 9 and 34 and is shown in greater detail in Fig. 43, the cams having a succession of slants and dwells to carry out the general cycle of operation in coordination with the other movements of the folders, the movements of the die and the pressing action. The successive diagrams of Figs. 44 to 49 indicate also these relativeinward, outward, upward and downward movements, as does the motion diagram of Fig. 40.

The extent of folder lift is determined by the symmetrically opposite contours of cams 28d and 285, with further adjustment possible by varyin the clearance or gap between lugs 270 and toes 214 and 215, namely, by means of the adjusting devices 281, 282 at the foot of the drop arms 211. In assembling, the front and back carriages are first brought to the same level at each end by the first adjuster device 2'58, 219. Then the left and right ends are brought to a desired level by the second adjuster 280, 28!. The lift cams then give true lifting movements to the system and allow gravity to lower the system according to the cycle. The retracted folders drop to rest on the pad; but with the use of a pad shaped to the outline to be folded the folders could finally retract far enough to be lowered into a position with their upper surfaces substantially flush with the pad, in accordance with a well-known plan of operation.

Coming next to the inward and outward movements of the infolders, whether one, two or more in number, these include separately determinable longitudinal and transverse components, simultaneous or in succession. The general purposes of the disclosed constructions, shown principally on sheets 2, 3 and 5, are easy adaptability t6 various blank shapes and kinds and affording, first, optional setting or selecting of the direc;

tion or angle of movement of each folder in relation to the blank and die, second, optional timing combinations of the folder movements in relation to each other, and third, special ability to select infolder locations around the center of the pad or support with respect to the middle portion of the blank. With these purposes met,

may be readily applied in order to extend the utility without altering the basic machine.

The herein described machine further has the following advantages. The set of folders is always in a single plane, shiftable upwardly and downwardly, but always parallel with the bed throughout the cycle. The motions of the re- 'spective infolders may be determined and effected independently of the others, and so may the timing thereof, with no need of overlapping motions. There is also independence of adjustments of the respective folders, so that no adjustment requires compensating adjustments elsewhere in the machine. The described infolder system is self-supporting, provides easy access for interchange or adjustment and is capable of 5' long wear. Leaving for a later period a specific description of the variety of motion combina- 1 tions of the infolders, the'illustrated structure will first be described.

Taking first the longitudinal in and out folder movements, these are effected by the sliding of the carriers or slide blocks 249 along the longitudinal carriages to which the carriers are slidingly dovetailed. The movements are elfected by the alining bars 266, of which there are four shown, one at each end of each carriage, these alining bars sliding in the alining grooves or slots 264 of the carriages, and the carriers being adjustably clamped to the alining bars by the gib devices 261, 268. The sliding of the alining bars is preferably effected from the longitudinal center of the machine, front and back, and for this purpose, at the inner end of each alining bar it is shown as carrying a depending arm 290.

Thus at the front, seen in Fig. 9, the two depending arms 29!) pivotally hung from the alining bars have only to be thrust apart and together to cause outward and inward longitudinal folder movements. Each arm 29!] may be considered as constituting a telescopic extension of a lever arm 29| upstanding from a rockshaft 292, the

of the left rockshaft 292, and this hub carries also a depending arm or cam lever 294, the low extremity of which is provided with a follower, as a stud and roller 295, to engage a cam 390 therebelow, This cam therefore rocks the lefthand greases lever; and. shaft. 292, and" to communicate this motion to the righthand shaft and parts beyond the following interconnections may be used. Each. of theitelescoping arms or forks 29!, at its hub. onthe shafts 292, is provided with an outwardly extending short. arm 2%, and these two arms at their distal, extremities are pivoted to drop links 291, these links connecting respectivelywith a pair of levers298 fulcrumed at their distal ends by studs 29.9 outstanding from the frame wall 66, the overlapping central ends of said levers being interconnected with a sliding engagement, thereby transmitting symmetrically the rocking movements from one to the. other of thesha-fts 232; and. causing the alining bars 266 andfolder carriers M3 to move endwise outwardly and inwardly in unison.

.The cam 30!] is. the middle one of a cluster of threeicams, and its cam groove 303 has slanting parts and dwells actingupon the follower 295 to produce the desired longitudinal components of folder movement. The righthand cam 30! of the cluster operates through. transmitting connections to give transverse inward and outward movements to the front carriage'25ll, carrying with it the folder plates upon the carriers. The left. cam 392 of the cluster has analogous connectionsfor similarly actuating the rear carriage 250. to move transversely. in and out. The timing. of the. cams giving the transverse movements may be quite independent, wherefore wholly different, movements or transverse components of movement may be produced inthe folders which are. carried. respectively by the front and rear carriages.

Thelmiddle cam 30a of the cluster has its cam groove 3il'3..at.its periphery for engagement by the follower. 295, and the cam has its hub 3M keyed to. the main shaft I 20. The other two cams of-the cluster: are loose upon the hub 394 or upon the shaft I26 but are secured or clamped to the middle cam in an adjustable manner, to change the order of transverse and longitudinal movements or components as required. An effective clamping means consists of the provision of a pair of bolt holes 306 formed in the. web of the. middle cam, while correspondingly in each 7 of through bolts 3W passed through the center cam bolt holes. 306 and the selected holes of the side cams. When the. side cams are adjusted to have their central bolt holes 301 in line with holes 36'6', then the longitudinal and transverse movements produced in the infolders are diagonaLeach infolder moving inwardly with simultaneousendwise and sidewise components. Other adjustments may change the order of the compcnentsat will. i

As already stated, the actuation of the front carriage: and supported parts is independent of that of the rear carriage and supported parts. The frontv carriage, with its carriers and folders is moved; inwardly and outwardly transversely by the cam Elli; for example by. the. following transmitting mechanism. Supported. upon a pair of fixedbrackets 312 depending from the wall 66 isa fulcrum rod 313 upon which swings a special. form of lever having a depending arm 3M,

the-extremity of which carries a. follower 315.

entered in the cam groove 3'16 at the righthand face ofithe cam 381 This groove is shownin Fig. 26 and is formed with two slantingportions separated by dwells. The cam lever has an upper arm 3m in the form of a plate, longitudinally elongated and straddling certain other mechanismto be described. This upper arm at its left and right upper corners has vertical extensions are reaching-up into atransmitting element, which will be termed a shoe member 325, seen in Fig. 20; wherein the extension is continued in a flattened form 320'; see Figs. 21 and 22, where it is provided with a pivot pin 32S connecting 'it to a pair of small flat slides 322 together constituting a square block which is part of a uni-. versal joint between the cam lever 3M, 3181 and the shoe member.

The shoe member 325 is a motion transmitting member having several functions as will be described, and the described connections from the cam 3M serve to shift the shoe member trans versely inwardly; that is, rearwardly ,to put thefront carriage 256 and supported parts through the same motions. Thegroove 316 of thecam 301- has a first slantzBHi which throws frontwa-rdly the lever arm 3M and thereby shifts rearwardly or inwardlythe shoe member and the carriage and holders thereabove, this being: timed to take place after the die has been positioned upon the blank and after the infoldersystem has been slightly lifted for the foldersto clear. the die. considerably later in the cycle, retracting outwardly or frontwardly the supportedfolders near theend of the cycle following the forcible squeezing of the blanks-beneath the folders.

The description of the front shoe member 325 applies likewise to the rear shoe member 345 producing the in and out transverse movements of the rear carriage 256; The shoe member 325* is shown as a hollow structure, itsbody being substantially cubical and containing a space within which extends the cam-actuated extension 321]- and theblock 322 pivoted atopthe lever arm extension. At its outer or front side theshoe member is" provided with a cover plate 326 which tension 32'! the shoe member is formed with a shoulder or ledge 328 which constitutes the means of support of the carriage when lowered to normal position.

The shoe member 325 is provided also with the transverse inward extension or stem 33B, which may be in the form of a cylindrical rod passing through a bore 33H formed in the fixed frame.

wall 66. This allows for the transverse in and out movements of the shoe member, carriage and parts thereabove, as best seen in Fig. 20; Completing the description of the shoe member,

its recess contains a flanged box or short slideway 333 confined between the left and right walls of the recess, but which is adjustably slidable rearwardly and frontwardly, while the block 322 atop the cam lever is slidable vertically in the box. This'allows for the necessary vertical move-j The return cam groove slant 316 is" Upstanding from the top side of the ments of the shoe.

23 merits of the block as the cam lever upper arm 318 swings. In order to provide a means of initial adjustment to predetermine the relation of the shoe member and parts above to the cam and cam lever below there is provided an adjust-. ing screw 334 extending through a tapped hole in the box and having its ends reduced for rotation in apertures formed in the front cover 325 of the shoe member and the opposite or rear interior Wall. This screw may be turned in order to move the shoe member and carried parts relatively frontwardly or rearwardly, and when adjusted the parts are so held by means of a lock nut 335.

It will be understood that for the front carriage 250 there are two complete shoe members 325 and shoes 321 as described, operating at spaced apart points on the carriage and both simultaneously shifted transversely by the same cam lever 3M, M8, thus to insure smooth inward and outward movements of the carriage with strict parallelism. For the similar movements of the rear carriage there will similarly be two spaced apart shoe members, of which one is illustrated in Fig. 20, the structures and operations of these rear shoe members corresponding, except in timing, with the two shoe members at the front. In regard to the front pair of shoe members 325, and the rear pair 345, to be further referred to, the following considerations are recited. The shoe members of each pair convert the arcuate swinging movement of the cam lever to a straight horizontal transverse motion, by reason of the sliding of the stem within the bore in the frame. The shoe member by its upstanding shoe provides a sliding engagement or coupling between the shoe member and the carriage or folder bar above, so that the latter may be lifted and lowered vertically quite independently of the horizontal motion produced by the move- The shoe member embodies means of adjustment of position of each carriage, and this adjustment is such as not to interfere with the amount or direction of inward and outward movement produced by the cam lever, due to the fact that the axis of the adjustment by the screw within the hollow shoe member substantially coincides and is parallel with the sliding stem of the shoe member. The two shoe members for each carriage functoin to line up truly the carriage lengthwise of the machine, keeping the carriage motion parallel and at the same time squaring up the carriage in its vertical position. The shoe members upon which each carriage are mounted provide a support for the carriage, bracing it against any tilting forces that may occur during the folding of the blank due to the fact that the pressure of the folding motion is applied above the carriage and even above the folder carrier slidable thereon; and when the parts return to normalposition, with folders retracted, the shoe member provides the seat 328 upon which the carriage rests, needing no further support, the wall 65 taking the weight.

The means for effecting the frontward and rearward movements of the rear carriage 259 and parts supported thereon are analogous to those described for the front carriage and may be briefly identified as follows, especially in reference to the the extremity of which is a follower or stud 3M running in the cam groove 332 in the face of the scribed.

lefthand cam 302 of the cam cluster. lf'he cam groove, as seen in Fig. 28, has a first slant 342 which causes the inward motion of the carriage and later a return slant 342 The second arm 3 13 of the cam lever extends upwardly to a rear shoe member 345 from which stands up a shoe 346 accommodated in the underneath recess or groove of the rear carriage, the shoe member having a frontwardly extending stem 341 slidable in a bore or way in the frame top plate; it being understood that there is a spaced pair of the shoe members345 for insuring parallel fore-andaft motions of the rear carriage, the same as with the front .carriage. I

I The pressure applying means for squeezing the folds between the folders and underlying pad will be described before explaining the diagrams of Fig. 15 and Figs. 40 to 49. The mode of depressing the infolders will be described primarily upon the diagram Fig. 39 in connection with Figs.

3638 and to some extent Figs. 1, 9 and 11. The plan of the invention, to provide simple pressure means which at the same time is rapidly shiftable for changes in infolder form or adjustment, is to employ what may be described as portable presser devices 310 which may be placed upon the machine bed cover plate 36 in various locations at will by making use of the undercut grooves 87 in the bed cover top as already de- Each presser device is mounted upon the cover plate either by such groove or by a chilled and tapped hole at any desired point, so that when the infolder system is set up any requisite number of presser devices may be arranged surrounding the infolders, but reaching in over them to make pressing contact upon the folding edges of the folders, for example as seen at the righthand side of Fig. 11. This invention permits the pressure to be applied quite near to the folder edges, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the blank squeezing action. Fig. 11 also shows various other optional positions of the presser devices, any one of which may be swung about its mounting means so that it can reach in endwise or sidewise, or diagonally.

There is no need to expand on the possibilities of this system of portable pressers locatable substantially at will. One presser 310' is shown in Fig. 11 arranged longitudinally and directed inwardly, its mounting being at the inner end of one of the undercut cover plate grooves 81; and in connection therewith a dot-and-dash line 369 shows that this presser possesses a large range r of adjustable influence, being swingable around in any direction and shiftable bodily toward and from an infolder which may overlie the pad 88 upon which rest the blanks to be folded. The quickness of readjustment of the machine, for example to alter the size or shape of an article, or both, is illustrated by the described. arrangement, wherein for shape change the folder may be quickly detached by disengaging its clip 251, and its supporting carrier 249 then unclamped from the alining bar 266, and shifted to a desired new position, the carrier being again clamped to the bar, the different-infolder attached on the carrier and the presser device reset according to the new position; while for size change the adjustment can be more easily made, without detaching the folder from its carrier.

The presser devices are actuated through a rotary cam 35!] appearing in Fig. 9 at the righthand side of the cam disk .286 which also carriesthe lifting cam 284, near the left end of the main 

